In many ways houses, and the people who live in them, are the heart of a community. Making sure that everyone who lives, or wants to live, in the Southwest Partnership community has access to safe, healthy, and affordable housing is the role of the Southwest Partnership Housing Committee. The Housing Committee develops vacant housing, attracts new residents to the area, and works with current residents around housing questions and concerns.
The biggest project that the Housing Committee is working is the development of vacant homes in the Franklin Square and Mount Clare neighborhoods. The Committee worked with the neighborhoods to identify the vacant houses that needed to be re-developed and to decide on what type of housing they’d like to develop. Both neighborhoods decided to have rent-to-own affordable housing for low and middle income families.
In 2016 the Committee’s goals are to find and have in place a developer for developments of vacant housing in Mount Clare and Franklin Square, identify sites for housing development in Hollins Roundhouse and Pigtown, and create and distribute a Tenant’s, Landlord’s and Homeowner’s Rights Booklet.
This year, the Committee has identified a developer for the projects, Unity Properties, and has begun working with the city to acquire the houses.
We still need to receive funding for the project to cover any gaps, but we are well on our way!
The Housing Committee meets the second Thursday of the month at 7pm at the UMB Community Engagement Center 1 N. Poppleton St
Jamie Pitts, a resident of Hollins Roundhouse, is the Chair of the Housing Committee.
For more information about the Housing Committee contact Michael Seipp at michael@swpbal.org or 667-210-2105.
